🍓 Strawberries on Bamboo: A Model of Intelligent Farming at STONEFARMS Nursery, Dschang

At STONEFARMS, innovation meets sustainability in the heart of Yaguem village, Dschang, West Cameroon. Our latest showcase in agroecological design is a living testament to what intelligent, small-scale farming can look like when guided by creativity, ecological harmony, and community purpose.

Welcome to our Bamboo Pyramid Cultivation System an eye-catching and highly productive model we developed right within our plant nursery.

🌿 The Concept: Nature-Inspired, Farmer-Driven

– In this system, we’ve used locally sourced bamboo to build a tiered pyramid structure and raised beds not just for aesthetics, but for function. Bamboo is durable, renewable, and abundantly available, making it an ideal material for sustainable farming in rural communities.

What grows on it? A clever polyculture of strawberry, lettuce, cabbage, and okra each plant chosen for its unique growth characteristics and its ecological synergy with the others.

🍓 Why Strawberries on a Pyramid ?

Strawberries are often underestimated in African agriculture, yet they offer high value in urban and peri-urban markets. By planting them on a pyramid,

• We maximize space vertically
• Improve aeration and drainage
• Reduce soil-borne diseases through elevation
• And make harvesting easier a practical bonus
• The strawberries sprawl gracefully over the tiers, while lettuce and cabbage form lush, water-retaining layers, and okra stands tall, contributing shade and vertical diversity.

🥬 Intelligent Plant Association

• This mixed planting isn’t random. It’s a thoughtfully designed system where:
• Lettuce helps cover soil and retain moisture.
• Cabbage adds biomass and suppresses weeds.
• Okra contributes to microclimate regulation and adds vertical diversity.
• Strawberries benefit from shared nutrients and reduced pest pressure.

The result? Higher productivity, fewer chemical inputs, and healthier soil.

🌱 A Living Lab for Eco-Education

More than a farm bed, this pyramid is a living classroom. Visitors, youth, farmers, and students can learn hands-on about polyculture, vertical farming, bamboo construction, and the economic potential of strawberries in Cameroon.

📍 Location

You can see this thriving example of agroecological design in our STONEFARMS nursery at Yaguem village, just outside Dschang, West Cameroon. It is part of our broader mission to empower local farmers, promote biodiversity, and implement sustainable, high-yield farming techniques tailored to our environment.